2018 on track to be one of the deadliest years in US history for child hot car deaths

July 30, 2018 - Already this year twenty-nine children have died from heatstroke inside vehicles, putting the U.S. on track to be one of the deadliest years for child hot car deaths. National Heatstroke Prevention Day is a day dedicated to bringing awareness to the predictable and preventable tragedies of children and animals dying in hot cars.

"No one thinks a hot car tragedy can happen to them or their family and that is why these tragedies continue to happen," stated Janette Fennell, founder and president of KidsAndCars.org, the leading national nonprofit child safety organization working solely to prevent injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles.

KidsAndCars.org and their safety partners will post facts and safety tips throughout the day about how child vehicular heatstroke can be prevented. They are calling on the public and media outlets to join in to support this national effort.

﻿The checklist provides simple habits for parents to make sure this never happens to their family.

KidsAndCars.org offers several safety tools that every parent should have.

The resqme™ tool is available at KidsAndCars.org’s online store. This safety tool features a window breaker and seat belt cutter and can be used to save your life or others in a number of emergency situations. The resqme™ tool can be used to rescue a child or animal trapped inside a hot car or help you escape if trapped inside a vehicle after a crash. If you become immersed under water in your vehicle with only seconds to escape, the resqme tool can quickly break a window so you can escape.

CellSlip, is also available from KidsAndCars.org and blocks all cell signal while your cellphone is in the CellSlip so drivers are not tempted to use their cellphone while driving. Placing the CellSlip in the seat back pocket in front of a child’s car seat also serves as a reminder to ‘Look Before You Lock’ and check the back seat for baby on every trip.

Founded in 1996, KidsAndCars.org is the only national nonprofit child safety organization dedicated solely to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles. KidsAndCars.org promotes awareness among parents, caregivers and the general public about the dangers to children, including backover and frontover incidents, underage driving and vehicular heatstroke. The organization works to prevent tragedies through data collection, education and public awareness, policy change and survivor advocacy.